Safety Performance Level of Petrochemical Industries in Arabian Gulf Countries

206 Pages·2013·8.76 MB·English

Effect of ISO Certification on the
Safety Performance Level of Petrochemical
Industries in Arabian Gulf Countries
Thesis Submitted for the
Degree of Doctor of Philosophy
At the University of Leicester
Submitted by
Mohammed Al Mulla
Department of Engineering
University of Leicester
2007
UMI Number: U594526
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Abstract
Name : Mohammed Al Mulla
Title of Thesis : Effect of ISO Certification on the Safety Performance Level of
Petrochemical Industries in Arabian Gulf Countries.
Research Guide : Professor Tony Bendell and Dr. William Manners
Safety in the work place is a critical management issue and has serious dimensions in a
petrochemical industry. Safety performance is closely linked with quality management. Quality
being a competitive weapon has been the motivation for ISO 9001 certification. The primary
objective of this research was to study and analyse the effect of ISO certification on the safety
performance level of petrochemical industries in the Arabian Gulf region.
The literature review revealed the gaps that exist in the research efforts until now relating to the
effects of ISO 9001 certification on the safety performance in petrochemical companies. It also
helped in identifying the 'instruments’ for assessing safety performance more objectively.
The reactive safety performance data before and after ISO certification was collected from 10 ISO
certified Petrochemical companies. Proactive safety performance data was collected from the
same 10 ISO certified companies as well as from another 10 non-ISO certified companies. The
safety culture data was collected through questionnaire surveys conducted in these companies.
Qualitative safety data obtained were quantified using conventional scaling techniques.
Statistical analysis of the data showed significant improvement in safety performance level after the
ISO certification. Results endorsed the view that positive safety culture is predominant in ISO
certified companies. The research demonstrated the expediency of applying statisticalm odels in
analysing safety culture in Petrochemical industries.
It is concluded that implementation of ISO 9001 significantly improved the safety performance in
petrochemical industries in Arabian Gulf countries, and it can be assessed objectively through
statistical techniques. Based on the findings of the research a revised ISO/TS29001 process model
with 'safety at the centre' is suggested.
Acknowledgement
With sincere appreciation, I wish to record my heartfelt gratitude to Professor Tony Bendell and
Dr. William Manners for their invaluable assistance and timely advice which gave me the necessary
motivation to complete this report on time. I would like to express my thanks to the top
management of my company for their unstinted support in my efforts to put this Doctoral thesis
work into a reality. I would also like to thank the managers of various Petrochemical Companies for
their support to get me the necessary data for analysis and also for participating earnestly in the
questionnaire survey.
My thanks are due to all Quality/Safety Professionals and Employees who had participated in the
Survey. Special thanks to my wife and my daughters who were patient enough to support me for
the past few years while I was working for this project after my normal office duty hours.
Above all, I want to glorify the Most Divine Source of Life and Energy who gave me strength and
knowledge. I deeply know that without His great love and wisdom, any endeavor in this world is
impossible.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Page No
Abstract
Acknowledgements
Table of Contents i
List of Figures, Tables, and Charts v
List of Appendices vii
Keywords and Nomenclature viii
1.0 Chapter One: Statement of the Problem
1.1 Introduction 1
1.2 Background and Significance 2
1.3 Rationale Behind the Study 3
1.4 Problem Statement 5
1.5 Research Goal and Objectives 6
1.6 Research Hypotheses 7
1.7 Methodology 9
1.8 Assumptions and Delimitations 9
1.9 Overview of Research 10
1.10 Summary 10
2.0 Chapter Two: Literature Review
2.1 Introduction 12
2.2 Overview of Management System and Certification 12
2.3 ISO 9000 series Quality Management Standards 13
2.3.1 Background of ISO 9000 Standards 13
2.3.2 ISO 9000 Family of Standards 15
2.3.3 Quality Management Systems Principles 16
2.3.4 ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management System-Requirements 17
2.3.5 Components of ISO 9000 Quality Management System 18
2.3.6 Effects of ISO 9000 Certification on the Organisational Performance 20
2.4 Total Quality Management 22
2.4.1 Background of Total Quality Management 22
2.4.2 Basic concepts of Total Quality Management 23
2.4.3 ISO 9000 and Total Quality Management 24
2.4.4 Total Safety Culture 25
2.5 Safety and Safety Standards 26
2.5.1 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems
OHSAS 18001 26
2.5.2 Safety Institutions, Councils, Certification and Regulatory Bodies 28
Table of Contents
2.6 ISO 14000 Series Environment Management System Standards 29
2.6.1 ISO 14000 Family of Standards 29
2.6.2 Environmental Management System Brief Outline 30
2.6.3 Links Between ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 31
2.6.4 Advantages of ISO 14001 Certification 31
2.6.5 Elements of ISO 14001* Having Special Relevance to Safety and Risk 32
2.7 ISO/TS 29001—Oil and Gas Industries-QMS 33
2.8 Integrated Management Systems 34
2.8.1 Integrated Safety Health and Environmental (SHE)
Management System 35
2.8.2 Integration of Quality with SHE Management System 35
2.8.3 Integration of Management Systems Pros & Cons 37
2.9 Risk Management 38
2.9.1 Risk of Occupational Injuries 39
2.9.2 Safety Assurance and Potential Hazards 39
2.9.3 Risk Assessment 40
2.10 ISO 9000 Certification and Improvement of Safety Performance 42
2.11 Summary 45
3.0 Chapter Three: Research Methodology
3.1 Introduction. 50
3.2 Data collection. 50
3.2.1 Pilot Study and Sample Size 51
3.2.2 Documents Inspection and Personal Interviews 51
3.3 Measurement Techniques for Safety Performance and Culture 52
3.3.1 Safety Performance Data 52
3.3.2 Details of “Measuring Instruments” 53
3.3.3 Data Analysis 54
3.3.3.1 Research Hypothesis 54
3.3.3.2 Safety Performance Data Analysis 56
3.3.3.2.1 Reactive Indicators 56
3.3.3.2.2 Proactive Indicators 58
3.4 Questionnaire Survey 61
3.4.1 Safety Questionnaire Survey - Employees 63
3.4.2 Safety Questionnaire Survey - Safety and Quality Professionals 64
3.4.3 Safety Questionnaire Survey- Managers 65
3.4.4 Risk Perception Questionnaire Survey - Managers 65
3.5 Measuring work place precautions - A Case study 65
3.5.1 Risk Description of a Sample Petrochemical Company 66
3.6 Limitations 67
Table of Contents
3.7 Summary 67
4.0 Chapter Four: Research Findings and Implication
4.1 Introduction. 68
4.2 Safety data analysis 68
4.2.1 Reactive Data Analysis 69
4.2.1.1 Incident Rate (IR) 70
4.2.1.2 Frequency Rates (FR) 71
4.2.1.3 Severity Rate (SR) 71
4.2.1.4 Interaction of Companies and ISO Certification 72
4.2.2 Proactive Data Analysis 73
4.2.2.1 Analysis of Preventive Inspections 73
4.2.2.2 Number of Trained People in the Safety 74
4.2.2.3 Applied Documentation Procedures 75
4.2.2.4 Personal Protection Equipments Resources
per Employee 75
4.3 Questionnaire survey 76
4 .3.1 “Safety Awareness” Survey - Employees 77
4.3.2 “Safety Awareness” Survey - Safety & Quality Professionals 77
4.3.3 “Safety Awareness” Survey - Managers 77
4.3.4 Risk Perception - Awareness Level of Managers 78
4.4 Rationale behind the Case Study 78
4.4.1 Reactive Indicator Data 79
4.4.1.1 Incident Rate Before and After ISO Certification 79
4.4.1.2 Frequency Rate Before and After ISO Certification 81
4.4.1.3 Severity Rate Before and After ISO Certification 82
4.4.1.4 Un-Stacked One Way ANOVA 83
4.4.2 Other Observations from the Case study 84
4.4.2.1 Dimensions of Risk 85
4.4.2.2 Risk Mitigation Methods Employed 85
4.5 Summary 86
5.0 Chapter Five: Discussion of Results
5.1 Introduction 87
5.2 Discussion on Implications of the results 87
5.2.1 Reduction in Accidents and Incident Rates -
Improvement of Reactive Indicators. 88
5.2.2 Proactive Actions Indicator-Preventive Inspection 88
5.2.3 Proactive Actions Indicator - Safety Training 89
5.2.4 Proactive Actions Indicator - Applied Documentation 89
Table of Contents
5.2.5 Proactive Actions Indicator - Use of PPE 90
5.2.6 Effect of ISO Certification on Safety Culture 90
5.2.7 Case Study Results 91
5.3 Summary 92
6.0 Chapter Six: Conclusions and Recommendations
6.1 Introduction 94
6.2 Conclusions 94
6.3 Suggestions Related to the Study 95
6.4 Contributions from the Study 99
6.5 Recommendations for Future Research 101
7.0 References 104
8.0 Appendices 114
List of Figures, Tables, and Charts
List of Figures. Tables, and Charts
Page No.
List of Figures
Figure 2.1 Quality Management Process Model 18
Figure 2.2a BS 8800:2004 Model of OHS 36
Figure 2.2b ILO Model of OHS system 36
Figure 2.3 Causes of Accidents in the Petrochemical Field 40
Figure 2.4 An Illustration of Causation Continuum 42
Figure 2.5 Levels of Protection Barrier Diagram 45
Figure 3.1 Interview Structures 51
Figure 3.2 Hypotheses Testing (One Tailed) 55
Figure 3.3 Likert Scale Used in the Questionnaire Survey 64
Figure 6.1 Proposed Quality Management Process Model 98
List of Tables
Table 1.1 Hypothesis Statements 8
Table 2.1 ISO 9001:2001 Certificates Issued from 2001 to 2003 14
Table 2.2 A Few Relevant Standards from ISO 9000:2000 Family 15
Table 2.3 ISO 14000 Standards for Environmental Management Systems 30
Table 2.4 Key Assessment Considerations 43
Table 3.1 The Hypotheses on Safety Measures Tested 55
Table 3.2 The Hypotheses on Reactive Safety Indicators Tested 58
Table 3.3 Applied Documentation Elements 60
Table 3.4 Personal Protective Equipments Used by Employees 61
Table 3.5 General information of the Sample Petrochemical Plant 66
Table 4.1 Normality Tests of IR, FR and SR Values Before and After ISO 70
Table 4.2 Preventive Inspections in ISO Certified and Non-ISO Companies 74
Table 4.3 Percentage Compliance of Safety Training in ISO Certified and
Non-ISO Certified Companies 74
Table 4.4 Scores out of 1000, Obtained by ISO and Non-ISO Companies. 75
Table 4.5 Usage of Personal Protection Equipments Among Employees
In ISO Certified and Non-ISO Certified Companies 76
Table 4.6 Reactive Indicators IR, FR and SR Before ISO Certification 79
Table 4.7 Reactive Indicators IR, FR and SR After ISO Certification 79
List of Charts
Chart 4.1 Trend Plots of Incident Rates (IR) Values Before and After ISO 81
Chart 4.2 Trend Plots of Frequency Rates (FR) Values Before and After ISO 82
v
List of Figures, Tables, and Charts
Chart 4.3 Trend Plots of Severity Rates (SR) Values Before and After ISO 83
Chart 4.4 Compliance of Safety Training 181
Chart 4.5 Applied Documented Procedures 183
VI